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Paint quantity?

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deepsouth

Finally riding a big boys bike
How much paint do you usually use to paint a bike? A quart seems like a lot. Could it be done with a pint? ( Acrylic enamel) Thanks in advance.
 
Kinda depends on equipment and painter. It can probably be done but I always prefer to have a quart for the main color and a pint for the secondary color. If trying to do it with a pint you need a HVLP gun and good technique to get even coverage with the fewest amount of passes and if you make a mistake you probably won't have enough (main color) to make it. Maybe the pros can offer better advice. V/r Shawn
 
I agree that you probably could. I use a single stage so I need more than just a color coat. I also admit to not being a pro as I don't paint bikes every day. If you are using clear you won't need nearly as much color. I just never seen a factory paint job on a ballooner that used clear. V/r Shawn
 
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I just did my Schwinn 36 "C" model. I use a HVLP small detail gun. Base coat, clear coat. I used 1 pint of black, 1/2 pint red. Clear coat and catylist. Still have 1/4 pint of black. Used all the red.
 
We need to establish what exactly you are going to be painting. A diamond frame and fork, a Sting Ray or the extreme full blown ballooner with a springer, fenders, oversized chain guard, rear carrier, tank and light. Big difference between a Krate frame with guard and a fully optioned 26" ballooner.
 
We need to establish what exactly you are going to be painting. A diamond frame and fork, a Sting Ray or the extreme full blown ballooner with a springer, fenders, oversized chain guard, rear carrier, tank and light. Big difference between a Krate frame with guard and a fully optioned 26" ballooner.

Agreed. Also if you are using BC/CC you can get by with a lot less color than if you do single stage. Personally I would never use BC/CC for a restored bike because they just look wrong. V/r Shawn
 
Agreed. Also if you are using BC/CC you can get by with a lot less color than if you do single stage. Personally I would never use BC/CC for a restored bike because they just look wrong. V/r Shawn
Oh brother. "A lot less color" what does that even mean?. Different shades of base coat can require anywhere from 2 to 8 coats of color to achieve full coverage of undercoats. Its got nothing to do with the clear coat. Single stage is best used for solid non metallic colors. As far as "looking wrong" well that depends. Do you want an ultra smooth highly polished surface or an orange peeled slightly dull factory finish. Both are easily achieved with modern base coat clear coat systems. The paint job above has quite a bit of orange peel, I assume he wants it that way. It could easily be dulled down with heavy buffing compound to have a "factory" finish. It's very important to remember that you don't know what these bikes looked like NEW. The paints used back in the good old days dulled quickly. Comparing decades old paint to anything new is ridiculous. Luddite.
 
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